August 3, 2006
Activision: 360 To PS3, Current-Gen To Wii?
Talking as part of its analyst call following its results today, Activision execs have talked about the effort that's currently going into building games for the PlayStation 3 and Wii, implying that many companies will be using current-gen SKUs as the basis for their Nintendo Wii launch titles.
When asked about progress in constructing games for the PlayStation 3, and how easy it is to port titles from Xbox 360 or vice versa, execs noted: "This has always been a core focus and strategy and ours... we're encouraged. We are starting to port elements from the 360 to the PlayStation 3, and also from current-gen platforms into Nintendo Wii."
This comment from Activision is particularly interesting, since it implies that the kind of technology available for the Wii has much more similarity with current-gen machines such as the GameCube or PS2 than with next-gen platforms such as Xbox 360.
A follow-up comment noted that, of the three next-gen platforms, there are "...many more similarities between 360 and the PS3, but and we are getting the benefits over all 3 platforms in art and animation investment", implying, perhaps, that more complexity in terms of polygon counts and animation blending is available on the Wii than current-gen machines.
Elsewhere in the conference call, there were notable comments when asked about the retail environment for this Christmas, when the Wii and PlayStation 3 will launch. Activision execs noted of the climate: "Retailers are ready to step up... the real driver in the end is going to be... the launch quantities."
This comment showed a little concern over launch numbers for PS3 and Wii hardware, since execs cautioned that the retail climate should be excellent "as long as [launch hardware amounts] are in line with what first parties are indicating".
In Activision's results itself, the company beat expectations but still posted a net loss of $18 million, up from the previous year's $3.6 million loss. Net revenue was at of $188 million, down significantly from the $241 million reported in the same period the previous year. Activision's results for the quarter were driven by the multiplatform movie tie-ins Over the Hedge and X-Men: The Official Game.
